Ship To Wreck
by starbuckfaerie21
Summary: Alex is sleep deprived.


**Ship To Wreck**

"_Don't touch the sleeping pills, they mess with my head_

_Dredging up great white sharks, swimming in the bed_

_And here comes a killer whale, send me to sleep_

_Thrashing the covers off has me by its teeth."_

_-Florence &amp; The Machine, "Ship To Wreck" _

**Disclaimer: **Sadly I own neither _Saving Hope _nor Daniel Gillies

**Pairing: **Joel &amp; Alex (or if you prefer Alex &amp; Joel)

**Rating: T**

**Summary: **Alex is sleep deprived.

**Author's Note: **The title of this piece comes from the Florence &amp; The Machine song of the same name.

_She was in the passenger seat. _

_Joel was driving._

_She looked in the backseat for her children but neither Luke nor Charlotte were in the car._

"_That's strange," She thought to herself._

_She turned toward her husband to say so when she saw the blinding reflection of the car's headlights coming toward them too quickly._

"_Joel, baby look out!"_

The warning died in her throat as Alex Reid woke with a start and reached over to Joel's side of the bed.

She didn't exhale until she her fingers brushed the skin of his shoulder.

_He's here. _

_He's all right._

_It's just a nightmare._

"Alex, what's wrong?" Joel murmured sleepily.

She kissed his shoulder and replied, "Nothing. It was just a nightmare. I love you. You know that right?"

He flashed her the trademark Joel Goran grin. "I love you too. What's going on in that head of yours, Reid?"

"I don't know." She said, holding him closer, "We were in a car accident. The kids weren't with us. It was so strange. I was so scared, Joel. I thought you were…"

"Hey," he whispered, interrupting her anxious words with a kiss, "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"

She nodded but her body was still shaking from the aftereffects of the nightmare.

He pulled her just a little bit closer, and whispered, "Try to get some sleep. We both have to be up in a couple hours."

"I know," She replied, softly, already drifting back to sleep wrapped in the safety of her husband's arms. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's okay, he replied, pressing his lips to her forehead, as he fell asleep.

The next day it took everything that Alex had and a lot of coffee just to make it through the day. She'd taken Luke to school and left Charlotte at daycare at the hospital while she worked. By the time she left the hospital and got the kids home all she wanted to do was take a hot shower and go to sleep.

But in the end she made dinner, put the kids to bed, poured herself a glass of wine, and waited for Joel to come home. She collapsed onto the couch with a sigh and tried to keep her eyes open.

_The operative word being tried._

She stirred when she heard the front door close.

"Hey," Joel whispered, "Were you waiting up for me?"

"Maybe." Alex replied, smiling. "How was your day?"

It only took a few seconds for Joel to cross the room, and stand in front of her, where she was seated on the couch, his arms wrapping around her as if they belonged there.

"It just got better," He said, reaching out to brush a strand of dark hair away from her face.

The next thing Alex knew Joel's lips were on hers and he was straddling her on the couch.

_Just like he did when he showed up at her apartment on the night of the earthquake. _

_The night their son had been conceived._

_Hungry._

_Passionate._

_Desperate._

_Incredible. _

Alex smiled at the memory.

"Got something you want to share with the class, Dr. Reid?" Joel asked. He pulled away just a little bit. But he was still close enough that could feel his warm breath against her lips.

"I was just thinking about the night of the earthquake." She answered softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

It was Joel's turn to smile. "That was an amazing night. What do you say we go upstairs and try to top it?"

He reached out his hand and she took it and rose from the couch.

"Dr. Goran, are you trying to seduce me?" Alex asked, kissing the mole behind his ear.

Joel smiled again, "Always." He replied, "Is it working?"

"Definitely." Alex whispered, just before she let him pick her up and carry her up the stairs.

"I've missed you, Alex." Joel said, as he pressed his lips against the skin between her neck and her shoulder making her gasp.

"Not as much as I've missed you." She said softly, pushing open their bedroom door and trying not to wake the kids.

"Let me see what I can do about that." He replied, lowering her gently onto the bed, and kissing every inch of her skin.

Their lovemaking was a tangle of arms and legs and kisses that rivaled the night of the earthquake.

Alex fell asleep with her head pillowed on her husband's chest. He lay in bed with her for a while and then he moved her gently to her side of the bed and went to take a shower.

_They were in the car probably coming home from the hospital. It was raining and the roads were slick. Joel was driving. It was just the two of them in the car. Suddenly the tires were squealing and glass was breaking at the same moment that they felt the impact._

Joel had just turned off the shower when he heard Alex scream.

"Joel! Joel! Oh my God! Joel!"

Joel rushed into the bedroom dressed only in a pair of sweatpants.

"Alex, wake up! Hey wake up! I'm here, Alex."

He touched her shoulder gently so that he wouldn't startle her. He felt her body shaking beneath his touch. He saw the tears running down her cheeks. He brushed them away with the palm of his hand. It was at that moment that she opened her eyes, and he could see the relieved expression as it crossed her face.

"Joel," She whispered his name, and reached out to touch him, burying her head in his shoulder.

"I'm right here, Reid," He said softly rubbing her back. "It was just a nightmare, I'm here." He whispered wrapping his arms more tightly around her shaking body.

He kissed her on the mouth and tasted the salt of her tears on her lips. "Alex, is something bothering you? You can talk to me."

Alex nodded against his chest, "I know. They're just nightmares. I'm not worried about anything beyond the normal stuff."

"What normal stuff?" Joel asked, touching her arm.

"You know the day to day things: you, the kids, work. And I'm tired Joel. I'm so tired…"

"Hey," he said, interrupting her, "Alex, I'm fine. The kids are fine. And as far as work goes, I know you're going to hate me for saying this…But maybe you should take a few days off. Especially if you're not sleeping."

"Joel, I can't just…"

He kissed her before she could continue. "Alex, you need to rest. I have an idea. Meet me at the hospital after my shift tomorrow night. Wear a hot dress and we'll go out to a nice dinner. Steak and a nice bottle of pinot."

"Mmmm…There's a dirty weekend in it for you if you wear a suit." Alex answered drowsily.

Joel smiled, "I'll wear my fancy jeans. Now you need to get some sleep."

The next evening Joel was still at the hospital at seven o'clock, when Zack paged him to the E.R.

"What've we got?" Joel asked, as he entered the E.R. slipping on a fresh trauma gown, mask and surgical gloves.

"MVA. 36 year old female. Restrained driver. Multiple injuries." Zack answered. "No one else was injured the other driver walked away without a scratch. The ambulance is five minutes out."

_Looks like we're going to have to reschedule our dinner date, Reid._

"Sounds gnarly." Joel said, smiling. "That's do this thing."

The next moment the sound of siren announced the arrival of the ambulance. He and Zack met the gurney at the door.

Zack took one look at the patient and whistled, "This chick is dressed to the nines."

It was then that Joel gave the unconscious patient a look assessing her injuries. She wore a black silk dress that left just enough to the imagination to be alluring. She was wearing black heels on her feet.

_I think I've seen Alex in a dress like that. She looked like a million bucks._

Suddenly Joel got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The patient had long dark hair. And she'd swept it up at the nape of her neck just like Alex did whenever they went out.

_She was late._

_She should've been here by now._

_This patient's face was made up but her beautiful face was covered with bruises._

_He'd told Alex to dress up._

_They'd planned to go out that evening._

_This patient was Alex._

_His wife._

_The love of his life._

"Alex!" He shouted, Grabbing her hand in both of his, he went on, "C'mon Reid, it's Joel. Wake up. Come back to me."

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Whoa, you know you really kiss patients like that," Zack said, and then after a moment the dots connected, "Oh my God…"

Joel didn't even look at Zack, his attention was laser-focused on Alex as she blinked slowly and then opened her eyes, and whispered, "Sorry, I'm late."

He smiled at his wife and kissed her forehead, "I don't care. I'm going to take care of you. You're gonna be fine. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"

She nodded, "Joel baby, everything hurts. My legs…"

He went immediately into orthopedic surgeon mode, "Alex, sweetheart, talk to me. Do your legs hurt?"

She shook her head, her beautiful blue eyes wet with tears and dancing back and forth in panic.

"No. Joel. I can't feel my legs."


End file.
